Every book has three major components and understanding them will help you to produce a properly constructed manuscript. Each component has specific elements and sticking to the structure will not only help you to craft your book, it will also make it look more professional. Pay attention to the type of information for each section and the order in which they should appear.

Note

The right of a page is known as “recto” while the left is “verso”. Pay attention because some elements will need to be placed on a specific side of the page.

The Front

The front component of a book may have any of what we list here but not necessarily all of it; use your own judgment. Page numbering of this section of the book is usually in Roman numerals.

Half Title – only contains the book title, no information about the publisher, author, any subtitle, or any other information.

Title Page – here we have the full book title, any subtitle, the author name, illustrator name, if there is one, along with the publisher name and, on occasion, where the publisher is located. You can add an illustration as well, depending on what your book is about.

Copyright Page – normally on the verso of the page, this will be the copyright notice, the ISBN number, the publication date, information about the publisher, the book edition, print history, LCCN and any data about cataloging. You will also include any relevant disclaimers here and credits for design, illustration, editing, etc.

Dedication Page – written by you to dedicate your book to named persons. (optional)

Epigraph – a quote that you may want to use. It should be relevant to at least some of the book. You can also use these at the start of every chapter if required. (optional)

Table of Contents – lists the chapter headings and, in some cases, subheadings. This can be as brief or as detailed as you like.

Figures or Tables Lists – if relevant, include a list of the figures and/or tables in the book, preferably with page numbers.

Foreword – not written by the author but signed with your name, the date, and the location. This is a short piece of work that tells readers of the relationship between the Foreword author and the book author and/or to the book contents. This provides the book with some context. (optional – depends on the type of book written)

Preface – the author writes this to introduce the reader to how the book came to fruition, what provided the idea for the book and so on. This is signed with the name, date, and location of the author.

Acknowledgments – where the author thanks certain people who have been involved in writing and preparing the book.

Introduction – the author writes this to lay out what the book is about and what the aim of the book is, as well as how it is organized – nonfiction books use this more than any other.

Prologue – for fictional stories, this is a story opener that provides some background. It is usually told in the voice of the narrator or character rather than that of the author.